by Dennis McCall
Taft Midway Driller
Taft College netters swept past Shasta College in Wednesday's one-day tournament at West Valley College in Saratoga but dropped a four-set match to undefeated Santa Rosa Junior College.
The split left the Cougars with a 4-9 record â€" all on the road â€" heading into next Wednesday's Central Valley Conference opener at Porterville College.
The scores against Shasta (0-4) were 25-18, 25-22 and 25-14.
Maeleen Hopeau led the Cougar offense with her 16 kills followed by Chelsea Wong's 11 and Sweet Viamoui's 9. Hikilani Kaaihue had 2 and Nalani Kekuawela 1.
Freshman defensive specialist Halle Neher had a solid game with 18 digs followed by sophomore Tara Kelley's 15. Both are Taft High graduates.
Setter Madeline Griffith had 39 assists, 7 defensive digs and 4 service aces.
Kamalani Kahele had 6 digs and 2 aces, Kekuawela 5 assists, Hopeau 4 and Wong 3.
After breezing over Shasta the Cougars were right back on the court to play a tough match with unbeaten SRJC, losing by scores of 22-25, 22-25, 25-23 and 17-25.
Individual statistics were unavailable.
When the Cougars travel to Porterville next week it will mark the 14th match on the road.
They won't get to play in their own gym until a week later when Columbia College of Sonora comes to town.
And while it will be comforting to start playing home matches, the Cougars know they will be in for tough sledding as the CVC is shaping up as a powerhouse northern California conference.
 Porterville, Reedley, Fresno and Sequoias all are having solid pre-conference seasons.